É. Apor , I. Ormos (ed.): Goldziher Memorial Conference, June 21–22, 2000, Budapest.

Preface

PREFACE Ignaz Goldziher has always been regarded as a central figure in the history of Oriental studies in Hungary. He was a genius of exceptional stature, whose appearance can only partly be explained by the circumstances of his environment. Throughout all his life he was closely connected to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Even as a young boy he gave lectures to its audience under the aegis of Ballagi and Vámbéry. He became a member at an unusually early age and remained one of its leading figures until the end of his life. Goldziher was also attached to the Library of the Academy. He was not only one of its devoted readers but he also contributed to the task of acquisition of Arabic publications: on one occasion he even carried out book purchases for the Library in Egypt, an undertaking which gave birth to a fine Hungarian essay.' After his death his widow bequeathed his vast correspondence and handwritten notes, as well as photographs pertaining to Oriental studies, to the Academy and they are now preserved in the Oriental Collection of our Library. At a later point his "Freytag" also found its way into the Oriental Collection. Although the former "Goldziher Room" fell victim to the vicissitudes of history, his memory has always been alive within the walls of this venerated building. It was in this spirit that we decided to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth by organizing a small Goldziher Memorial Conference with lectures covering some aspects of the wide scope of his scholarly interests and activities. Invitations were sent out to colleagues in various countries and we received many positive answers. Not all who would have liked to attend were able to, and not everybody who was present submitted his paper for publication. We especially regret that in the end we were unable to welcome ' Goldziher Ignác, Jelentés a M. T. Akadémia Könyvtára számára keletről hozott könyvekről tekintettel a nyomdaviszonyokra keleten. [Report on the Books Brought from the Orient for the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences with Regard to Printing Conditions in the Orient] (MTA Értekezések a nyelv- és széptudományok köréből IV, 5), Budapest 1874; Id., Az arabok és az iszlám. The Arabs and Islam. Ed. István Ormos, Budapest 1995, vol. I, 65-106; Bemard Heller, Bibliographie des oeuvres de Ignace Goldziher. (Publications de l'École nationale des langues orientales vivantes VI, 1), Paris 1927, 22 (no. 40). 9